AGUERO CAN’T STOP SCORING!
Striker’s four-goal blast heaps more misery on returning Mahrez as City go 16 points clear at top
MANCHESTER CITY’S record goalscorer Sergio Aguero hit four goals in an extraordinary second half to dispel any fears that Pep Guardiola’s injury-hit side may suffer a Premier League title wobble.
There were a few nerves inside The Etihad when Jamie Vardy cancelled out Raheem Sterling’s early opener to leave the sides level at half-time. But Aguero struck twice at the start of the second- half before completing the scoring with two more past hapless Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel towards the end.
As Leicester sub Riyad Mahrez got a close-up glimpse of what he’s missing out on by being denied a January transfer to the Etihad, City moved 16 points clear of Manchester United, who play today, and last week’s draw at Burnley can now be considered a mere blip.
Aguero has 28 goals this season and has netted in seven consecutive home games. But even he would probably admit that he should share the man-of-the-match award with Kevin De Bruyne who had a hand in his side’s first three goals.
The only cloud for Guardiola is that £57million defender Aymeric Laporte was involved in a late confrontation with Vardy as they briefly locked foreheads.
If Sterling had any residual demons from last week’s infamous miss against Burnley, they disappeared within three minutes.
Bernardo Silva held up play on the right-hand side until he was able to lay a pass off to De Bruyne, and the Belgian’s low first- time cross behind the Leicester defence had them struggling from the moment it left his boot.
Marc Albrighton attempted to hack the ball away at the far post but missed. Standing right behind was Sterling, who did what he couldn’t manage at Turf Moor and converted the chance from close range. The goal visibly l i fted Sterling whose pace was electric and interplay with Aguero eyecatching. Aguero almost grabbed a second goal but his leap for Silva’s cross was not quite high enough.
After 18 minutes, Schmeichel was forced to parry a Sterling cross to the edge of the penalty area and was relieved that no blue shirt was on hand to capitalise. As for the rough tackles Guardiola and the club have complained about from their opponents, Leicester couldn’t get close enough to lay a boot on anyone. The visitors’ first move of any fluency arrived after 23 minutes with a rapid succession of passes which led to home skipper Fernandinho awkwardly heading away for a corner. It was a reminder that 1-0 is a fragile lead regardless of the domination.
And so it proved. A loose pass by Nicolas Otamendi gave Vardy a quarter-chance of getting Leicester level and he took it brilliantly. Otamendi’s error was just inside City’s half but Vardy was alert to nip in ahead of a sl i ding Oleksandr Zinchenko to win the ball. From then on the striker got his skates on. He accelerated past Ilkay Gundogan, who slipped, and swerved outside Aymeric Laporte. As the defender stretched, Vardy placed his shot between the Spaniard’s legs giving Ederson no chance.
Predictably, City came roaring back and Schmeichel was called on to deny Silva and Fernandinho.
Though Fernandinho wore the captain’s armband, De Bruyne looked the on-pitch leader, driving his team forward to try and restore their lead. Sterling thought he had regained it when he latched on to a De Bruyne pass and rounded Sch- meichel. Even though the angle was acute, the winger got his shot on target, only for Aleksandar Dragovic to make a critical block for a corner.
Leicester sent on defender Danny Simpson for the ineffectual Adrien Silva at half- time so that Albrighton could operate erate in a more advanced ed role. The plan suf- fered a major setback within three minutes, however, as City went ahead for the second time.
Of course, De Bruyne was at the heart t of it, exchanging a oneetwo with Sterling and d firing in a ball across ss the six-yard box that forced the Leicester defence to turn. As Harry Maguire and Schmeichel watched the cross dissect them, Aguero provided an assured finish to score for the seventh consecutive home game.
It was the Argentine’s 25th goal of the season and his 26th followed very quickly after 53 minutes.
Schmeichel was put under pressure by Maguire and his clearance fell to Fernandinho inside the Leicester half. The Brazillian’s first touch to control was excellent, and the pass to De Bruyne wasn’t bad either. The Belgian fed Aguero by the right angle of the penalty area and though the striker’s finish was close to Schmiechel, the goalkeeper failed to get a strong hand on the ball, reproaching himself with a few choice words after the bungle. Leicester sent on Mahrez — wh o wa s said to be “depressed” de about a move mo to City collapsing in on deadline day — after 62 minutes. Ironically, he was cheered more loudly by the home fans f than his own supporters. s After A 77 minutes, Schmeichel Sch woefully underhit unde a pass out to Dragovi Dragovic and in an instant, Aguero had intercepted and dinked the ball over the embarrassed goalkeeper to complete his treble. The striker completed the scoring with a flourish — taking a pass from sub Phil Foden and firing past Schmeichel from 20 yards.